The capital’s three municipal corporations — all ruled by the BJP — have lifted a controversial ban on the sale of eggs and chicken to prevent the spread of bird flu.

The ban, imposed on Wednesday, had covered the sale and storage of “poultry, processed or packaged chicken meat”. In North and South Delhi, an additional ban on restaurants selling chicken or eggs had been imposed.

In practice, municipal officials all across the city — except the sliver of centrally administered areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Cantonment Board — had enforced a total ban on chicken and eggs in markets, compelling retailers to dispose of stock held in bulk.

The action of the corporations flew in the face of advertisements by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and guidelines of the Centre that cooked food was safe. Delhi is among 10 states affected by the flu that originates from birds and can spread to humans through direct contact with alive or dead infected birds or their droppings.

After several wild birds died and were found to be infected, the Delhi government banned the import of live birds from outside the capital and shut the main wholesale market for poultry products in Gazipur on January 9.

On Thursday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Samples taken from poultry markets have tested negative with respect to bird flu. Have directed to open the poultry market & withdraw the orders to restrict trade & import of chicken stocks.”

However, the local bodies lifted their ban only later in the evening after a meeting with Union animal husbandry minister Giriraj Singh.

Asked why they had overstepped their brief and banned eggs and chicken, South Delhi mayor Anamika told The Telegraph: “We are bound by circulars of the Delhi government. We don’t want to harass anyone. This is all (Delhi deputy chief minister) Manish Sisodia’s fault. Had he not shut the Gazipur market, we would not have issued any circular. Now that the Delhi government has withdrawn its circular, we will also withdraw the steps we have taken.”

In 2017, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation had passed a BJP-sponsored proposal to ban the display of meat by restaurants. It was struck down by the municipal commissioner.

Riyaaz Amlani, trustee of the National Restaurants Association of India, told this newspaper on Thursday that customer confidence in chicken and egg dishes had been shaken because of the ambiguity.

“Customers need education, not bans. We look to governments for security and advice, not confusion. This is not the best environment to attract business. This is another example of businesses suffering due to lack of coordination between authorities, and their cultural issues,” he said.